Blanket tensioning means



Feb. 13, 1951 w. F. HucK ErAL 2,541,254 v BLANKET TENSIONING MEANS v Filed May 26. 1945 l 4 Sheets-SheefI 1 w C965 Pa PP ,p6

INVENTORS aai Feb. 13, 1951 w. F. HUcK ErAL 2,541,254

BLANKET TENSIONING MEANS Filed May 26, 1945 4 Sheets--SheerI 2 Feb. 13, 1951 w. F. HUcK ETAL 2,541,254

BLANKET TENSIONING MEANS Filed May 26, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 13, 1951 I w. F. HUcK x-:rAL 2,541,254

' BLANKET TENSIONING MEANS Filed May 26, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TORS alam /lw// 5- Patented Feb. 13, y1951 BLANKET TENSIONING MEANS William F. Huck, Forest Hills, and Franz Heller,

Mount Vernon, N. Y., and Alexander J. Albrecht, West New York, N. J., assignors to R. Hoe & Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 26, 1945, Serial No. 595,898

12 Claims.

a new and improved means for spring tensioning y press blanket clamping devices whereby any slack developing in the blanket will be taken up by the vtensioning means.

It is also an object of the invention to provide Ya new and improved blanket tightening device of generally improved construction, whereby the device will be simple and durable, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and eiicient in its use.

Apreferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Y

Figure 1 is a plan view of one end of an impression cylinder of a newspaper printing machine with portions broken away to show parts within the cylinder;

Figure 2 is an end view of the impression cylinder as seen on the line 2 2 of Figure l, and in the direction of arrows 2;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a portion of a clamping device for holding one end of a draw sheet used with cylinder packing;

Figure 3A is a sectional view on the line 3A 3A of Figure 3 and as seen in the direction of arrows 3A;

Figure .4 is an exploded perspective View of a reel rod and associated parts;

Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views on the lines 5, 6 5, 'l-l and 8 8 respectively, of Figure 4 andas seen in the direction of the respective arrows;

Figure-9 is a perspective View of a spring rod used in connection with the reel rod shown in Figure 4;

v 29a and 29h'.

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the spring rod shown in Figure 9 but showing the rod under torsion;

Figure 11 is a sectional view of a portion of the impression cylinder shown in Figure l, on the line I of that gure and as seen in the direction of arrows Figure 12 is a View of a portion of the cylinder as shown in Figure 2, partly broken away and showing parts in section;

(Cl. lill-415.1)

Figure 13 is a top view showing a method of fastening the end of a blanket to the tightening device, as seen in the direction of the arrow |3 of Figure l1; Figure 14 is a sectional view generally similar to Figure 12, broken away and partly in section, as seen on the broken line |4 |4 of Figure 1;

Figure 15 is a sectional view on the broken line |5 |5 of Figure 14, as seen in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 16 shows a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown as applied to an impression cylinder 2|, that may cooperate ywith a plate cylinder (not shown) to form a printing couple in a printing machine. The impression cylinder is rotatably supported by anti-friction bearings, one of which is 'shown at 22, carried by a frame member 23.

Each end of the cylinder is provided with a longitudinally disposed gap or slot 28 (Figures 1, 11, l2 and 14) communicating with bores 26a and 26h. Reel rods 29a and 29h (Figures 14 and 15) are positioned in the bores and each has a shoulder 3| (Figures 4 and 15) against which a bushing 32 abuts and is held in place by a set screw 33. The bushing 32 are journaled in the inner endrof the bores 26a and 25h, and thereby rotatably support the inner end of the reel rods Second bushings 34, pressed into the outer ends of the bores 25a and 26h, and abutting shoulders 35, rotatably support the outer ends of the reel rods.

The reel rods have axially positioned cylindrical bores 36, the inner ends of which are enlarged as at 3l (Figure 4) to receive bushings 38. The bushings 38, which as herein shown have axially disposed square holes 39 extending through them, are forced into the enlarged portions 31 and are preferably secured by welding. The outer end of reel rod 25a and 29h have pairs of oppositely disposed segmental jaws 4| that cooperate respectively with pairs of oppositely disposed segmental jaws 42 (Figure 5) formed integral with worm wheels 43.

The jaws 4| and 42 are preferably circular sectors of and when in cooperative position, a backlash, or lost motion of 60 exists between the worm wheels 43 and the reel rods 29. Arcuate plates 44 and 46 (Figure 2) are secured to each end of the cylinder 2| by bolts 41, and have bores 48 for receiving the worm wheels 43 and a portion of the bushings 34, that project beyond the end of the cylinder. Holes 49 (Figure 15) coaxial with the bores 48 extend through the plate 44 rbeyond the surface of the cylinder 2|. 4 wheels'i y'(Figure'lll) are vdriven by Worms 63a andjGSb -formed on operating members A|2 locat- *edin bores 64. Thrust washers G8 located toward and provide bearings for hubs 5| of the Worm wheels 43, the inner hubs 5l! of the worm wheels being journaled in the bores of the bushings 34. Square holes 52 extend axially through the Worm wheels 43 and receive square spring rods 53, that extend through the bores 36in the hollow reel rods 29a, and 29h, and into the square holes 39 in the bushings 38. Pins 54, positioned in radially disposed holes 55 in the Worm wheels retain the rods 53 in the positions shown. The reel rods 29a and 29h have flattened surfaces 51 extending lengthwise thereof, and segmental blanket vhold'- ers 58 have their ends (FigureV 15)' v:held adjacent the surfaces 51 by the bushings 32 and 34.

Canvas strips Bla and 6`|b (Figure 11) are secured to the reel rods by having their inner ends wrapped around the blanket holders 5'8 and sewed to the body of the strip as at 59. The free ends of the strips extend through the slot 28 Worm thebottom of the bores 64, and bearing bushing E5 screwed into threaded portions 61 of the bores "-34, vrotatably support the Aoperating members 52,

thathave'wrenchengaging portions 68 by which 'the wormsr'-la and 63h may be rotated.

Theradially disposedlongitudinally extending slot 28 V(Figure 14) has walls 69a and 69h that "incline toward one another as the surface of the cylinder 2| is approached. Walls 63a, and 69h are' provided with longitudinally extending rec'esses 1 Zaand 12b respectively, having open por- 'tions' '-13 and inclined embedded portions 14. As

herein shown the 'cylinder 2| lcarries inner and outer blankets -16 and 11 and a top sheet or draw sheet 18, but it will be understood that cylinder packing having a greater or lesser number of plies of any suitable material may be used.

As herein shown, a blanket bar 19 (Figure 3A) :and `a lhook bar 8|, Athat are approximately one 'half the vlength of `the impression cylinder 2|, are fastened together by Aa `plurality of screws 182 krand thereby form a clamp to secure one end of the inner blanket -16 and one end of the outer Yblanket '11 together. The bar-8| is provided with la longitudinally extending hook-shaped vmember 83, for Yengaging a V-shaped drawsheet clip 84 `vthat 'is secured at each end by rivets 86 to the pressioncylinder as follows:

-Assuming that the outer ends of the blankets are cut square with the side edges, one endof the cuter blanket 11 is placed in line with one end 4vof the inner blanket 15, and theftwo are clamped together between the `blanket bar 19 and the hook bar 8| (Figure 3A) by means of the screws '32. `Then`the bar 19 is inserted in the recess 12a, Ithe cylinder -2|`--rotated -clockwise as shown in IFigure llyland the blankets v18 and 11 are thus wrapped around the cylinder and the free end 'of lthe inner blanket 16 is tucked in the slot 28 asshown at-31. The free lend of the 'outer vblanket 11 -is Afolded back as 'snown at 88, vand is pinned 4to 4the free Vend of rthe canvas sheet Sla by pins V4iiivji'gure 13').V Then by means of Ya suitable wrenchl (not shown) the'worm 63a is operated 4 to turn its Worm wheel in a counterclockwise direction. This turns the spring rod 53, rotating bushing 38 and the reel rod 29a counterclockwise to wind up the canvas strip Sla. The strip Ela pulls the end of the outer blanket 11 through rthe slot 28, and :draws it tight against the cylinder. When the middle sheet has become tight enough to stop rotation of the reel rod 29a, continued turning of its worm 63a produces torsion in the spring rod 53 (Figure 9). The torsion, that may thus be produced, is limited by the amount of lost motion provided between the jaws 4| and 42. When these jaws engage, a continued turning of .the wor-m63a and its Worm wheel 43,

stretches the' bianket 11 without further distortion of the rod 53. After the jaws 4| and 42 engage, the ree-1 rod 29a. is driven from both ends, part of the turning force being applied by the spring 53 and part by the jaws 42. This decreases the amount of vtorsion that would have developed linthe lreel rod 23a had it been driven from only onefend. IThe-torsion produced in the rod 53 maintains strain on the blanket and takes up any stretch that may develop therein.

The vdraw sheet-18, one end of which has previously been riveted to the U-shaped draw sheet clip 34, is then secured to the cylinder 2| as follows: (Figures '73, 3A. and l2). The clip 84 Aon 'the end 'of the Isheet 18 is inserted into "the slot 28 so 'as to engage the hooked member l33. The cylinder 2| 'is again rotated and the draw sheet is wrapped around the vcylinder over the blankets, and its free end is pinned tothe free end of Vthe second canvas strip Sib (Fig-ure 12)"in much the "same ina-nner vas that previously describedfor the blanket 11 and canvas strip Blo.l Thereafter vthe' strip Ilb and sheet '18 are folded as at Y92 (Figure 129 and the wrench is used to turn the worm 63h.l This turns its worm wheel 43 -and :also-the spring rod 53, bushing 38 and the reel ragainst .1a -plate cylinderaoften -causes the blanket and the draw sheetto creep and stretch. I-n the @mechanism herein' described, any looseness due to stretching-of 'the blanket 11 -or the `dr-avv .slet 31:8 will be immediately-taken Y'up 'by the spring rods 53.

*Itshould be inoted that the cylinder 2| i'ssym- Lmetrical- 'in-that" both walls yila, and 69h vare provided with similar recesses 12a and 12b and'that the reel rods 29a and V2 9b are vsymmetrically -placed in the symmetrical slot '728. A*Byfthis arrangenient `the^blankets and drawA sheet can be'applied to the cylinderina` reverse manner to that shown tin'the drawings, if it is desired to operate'the machine with the printing cylindersJrotati-ng in the opposite direction.

A modified form of the invention is shown in Figure 16, wherein a single blanket or sheet f|| 'is spring tensioned on a 'printing cylinder 102 "by a'co'iled spring! 03 acting ona wor-m |04. The cylinder |32 is provided with a longitudinally 'disposed gap |36 having communicating Vbores |31 andi-"|1187andaslotl |139 having lwalls and il 'i2 extending- -from the bores to the surface of the cylinder. A rod ||3, rotatably positioned in the bore |91, carries a clamp '|14 located inf 'the slot |59 land 'secured to the rod I| I3 by screws H6. A radial bore |l1,"has a threaded'por'tion H8 into 'which is screwed a nut' H9, having a jthreaded hole |2|.

A screw |22, equipped with 'a snap ring |23 and a screw driver slot |24, is screwed into the hole |2| and engages an upper face of an arm |26, that extends radially from one end of` the rod H3. The lower face of the lever |26 is engaged by a spherical end of a pin |21, that is-biased toward the lever by a spring |28. VThe clamp H4, clamps one end of the blanket |0| or other packing used against the vwallv when the screw |22 is turned to force the arm |26 against the-compression spring |28. When the screw |22 is turned in the opposite direction the clamp ||4 is opened by the spring.

A reel rod |3I, that carries a worm wheel |30 is rotatably mounted in the bore |08 and provided with means (not shown) but preferably such as is shown in Figure l1, by which the free end of the blanket |0| can be secured thereto. The --worm |04, positioned in a radial bore |32, has an operating member comprising a wrench engaging head |33 and gudgeons |34 and |36, that are rotatably supported in bushings |31 and |38 respectively. The bushing |31 is pressed into the bottom of the bore |32, and the bushing |38 is screwed into a threaded portion |39 thereof.'

A blanket or other packing may be applied to the cylinder |02 as follows: Loosening the screw 22 allows the spring pressed pin |21 to move the arm |26 and the rod ||3 in a clockwise direction. This moves the clamp member ||4 away from the wall and provides space for insertion of one end of the blanket |0|. After the end is in place, the screw |22 is tightened to rotate the arm |26 and the rod ||3 counter clockwise to clamp the blanket against the wall The cylinder |02 is then rotated clockwise wrapping the blanket thereabout and its free end is attached to the reel rod |3|, after which, the worm |04 and reel rod |3| are rotated by a wrench applied to the head |33 to tighten the blanket. Continued turning of the worm |04, after the worm wheel |30 has come to a stop, causes the worm to move axially into the bore |32 against the compression spring |03. If the blanket stretches during operation of the machine, the spring |03 will move the worm |04V outwardly and rotate the worm wheel |30 and rod |3| and keep the blanket tight on the cylinder.

While the invention as herein disclosed is applied to a newspaper printing machine in which relatively soft blankets are used on an impression cylinder, it will be understood that the invention may be used on impression cylinders of magazine presses, which use paper, cardboard, or relatively hard cylinder packing, and it is also applicable to the blanket cylinders of planographic off-set printing machines in which the impression is transferred from a printing plate to a printing blanket carried on a blanket cylinder, and then again transferred to a web or sheet. In fact, the invention is applicable to any machine having a blanket or the like, that is wrapped about a cylinder and which it is necessary to keep under tension while running. Hence, the word blanket as herein used, is intended to include any exible material that is wrapped about a cylinder and held under tension in a machine operating on webs or sheets.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the presdescription for an indication of the scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

l. In a printing machine cylinder having a longitudinally disposed gap and mechanism in the gap for securing one end of a blanket to the cylinder, other mechanism in the gap for securing the other end of the blanket to the cylinder' and holding it under tension, including a hollow reel rod to which the said other end may be attached, a spring rod extending through the reel rod and having one end secured to the reel rod, and means for turning the other end of the spring rod to thereby tighten the blanket on the cylinder.

2. A printing machine cylinder having a longitudinally disposed gap and mechanism in the gap for securing blariets thereto, the securing mechanism comprising a means for attaching a first end of a blanket to the cylinder, a rst hollow reel rod to which a second end of the blanket may be attached, a rst spring rod extending through the first reel rod and secured to one end thereof, a means for attaching a first end of a draw sheet to the means for attaching the ilrst end of the blanket, a second hollow reel rod to which a second end of the draw sheet may be attached, a second spring rod extending through the second reel rod and secured to one 30y end thereof, and means for turning the free ends of the spring rods.

3. A printing machine cylinder, to which blankets may be attached, the cylinder having a longitudinally disposed gap that includes a pair of bores and a slot connecting the bores with the surfaceof the cylinder, walls for the slot, each of the said walls having means for attaching a first end of the blanket to the cylinder, a reel rod rotatably mounted in each of the bores, a means for attaching a second end of the blanket to either of the reel rods, a spring associated with each reel rod, and a means for applying force to either spring and thereby rotating either reel rod.

4. In a printing machine cylinder, a blanket securing mechanism comprising a hollow reel rod, a spring rod extending longitudinally through the hollow reel rod, means for securing one end of the spring rod to one end of the reel rod, and means for rotating the opposite end of the spring rod.

5. In a printing machine cylinder, a blanket securing mechanism comprising a hollow reel rod, a spring rod extending longitudinally through the hollow reel rod, means for securing one end of the spring rod to one end of the reel rod, means for rotating the other end of the spring rod, and means for limiting the torsion that may be developed inthe spring rod.

6. In a printing machine cylinder, a blanket securing mechanism comprising a reel rod for tensioning a blanket, a spring attached to one end of the reel rod, and means for rst stress-- ing the spring and then for turning the end of the reel rod not attached to the spring; whereby, when the spring is stressed, the reel rod will be driven at both ends.

1. In a printing machine cylinder, a blanket securing mechanism comprising a means for attaching one end of a blanket to the cylinder, a reel rod rotatably mounted in the cylinder and to which the other end of the blanket may be attached, a rotatable operating member at one end of the cylinder, and a worm, worm wheel and lspring driving connection connecting the operating member with the reel rod and resiliently rogangen tating the said rod, When'the operating member is rotated-to tighten lthe blanket.

8. In a blanket securing device for a printing cylinder, means for attaching one end of a blanket to the cylinder, a rod rotatably mounted in the cylinder and Yto which .the other end of the blanket may be attached, a tightening mechanism to ro` tate the rod and hold it against reverse rotation, and a .limitedly resilient .connection between the rod and the tightening mechanism, whereby tension on the blanket Will be maintained when the blanket stretches.

9. In a printing machine cylinder, a blanket securing mechanism comprising a hollow reel rod, a spring rod extending longitudinallyv through the center of the hollow reel rod, an attachment for fastening one end ofthe spring rod to the reel rod, and a drive for rotating the opposite end'of the spring rod.

1.0. :In a printing machine cylinder, a blanket securing mechanism comprising a hollow reel rod, ,a spring vrod extending longitudinally through the center of the hollow reel rod, an attachment for fastening one end of the spring rod to the reelrod, a drive for rotating the other end of the spring rod and thereby producing torsion therein, and a .lost motion device for limiting the torsion thatA may be developed.

- 1l. In a printing machine having a cylinder, a rotatable reel rod for securing a blanket thereon and a manually rotatable member at one end of the cylinder, operable torotate the reel rod, and in combination, a resilient driving connection between the reel rod and the manually rotatable member, the said connection including a worm, a worm wheel, and a spring producing a torque on the reel rod when the manually rotatable member is manipulated to tighten a blanket Von the cylinder, and yielding to permit further mo- '8 tion; .ofthe 1 manually .operable member after the blanket becomes taut, thereby providing Vmeans to further rotate. the reel rod and tov take vup vany slack Ycaused by subsequent stretchingv of Ythe, blanket.

' :12. In alblanket` tightening device for a printing machine, aA fully rotatableyreel rod, a manually rotatable member, and a .resilientdriving `connection between-the reel rod and the manually rotatable member, lthe -said connection including a Worm cooperating with a wormrwheel and a spring through which` rotative force ,appliedl to the manually rotatable member is yeldingly .transmitted vto :the reel rod.

WILLIAM HUCK.

:FRANZ HELLER.

ALEXANDER J. ALBRECHT.

.REFERENCES CITED 'The-following references are of record-inthe le -of this patent:

., UNITED STATES PATENTS Number ,Name Date v:946,920 Nichols Jan. 18,r 1910 1,215,344 Clark *Feb` 13, 1917 1,257,538 Scott Feb. 26, 1918 1,521,665 Zarkin Jan. 6,v 1925 1,607,386 Brasseur Nov. 16,-1926 11,644,218 `Wright Oct. 4, 1927 1,711,377 Durrant Apr. 30, 1929 1,715,893 Bertinetti June 4, 1929 1,739,045 Schmidt Dec. 1.0, 1929 1,827,300 Pritchard Oct;l 13, 1931 Vv2,157,621 Nielson May- 9, 1939 2,164,480 Tornbug July. 4, 1939 v2,381,461 Morse Aug. 7, 1945 2,409,536 Braunworth Oct. 15, '1946 2,453,927 Morse Nov. 16, 1948 

